(The Hill) – The statue commemorating Confederate officer Albert Pike is set to be restored in Washington, D.C., as confirmed by the Department of Interior.
According to The Washington Post, the statue is scheduled for reinstallation in Judiciary Square by October. This timing precedes the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, a significant event that former President Trump aims to celebrate by enhancing American history landmarks in Washington through his “Making the District of Columbia Beautiful” order.
In this order, Trump emphasized that “monuments, museums, and buildings should inspire a deep respect and admiration for our Nation’s strength, greatness, and heritage.”
Pike’s contributions to the country’s history fit the mold.
“This initiative demonstrates our dedication to the responsible management of public lands and the preservation of our nation’s cultural legacies,” stated a spokesperson for the Department, as reported by The Hill on Tuesday.
But in 2020, demonstrators removed the sculpture by hand following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers.
Originally erected in 1901, Pike’s 27-foot bronze and marble statue pays tribute to his role as a Confederate army brigadier general and his significance in Scottish Rite Freemasonry.
He was also a member of the Know Nothing Party, known for its strong anti-immigration stance.
As the Trump administration lauds the statue’s reinstallment, local leaders remain in favor of keeping Pike out of street view.
Congresswoman Eleanor Norton Holmes (D-D.C.) commented to The Post, “I have consistently felt that Confederate statues should be preserved in museums for historical context, not displayed as symbols of honor. A statue celebrating a racist and a traitor is inappropriate for D.C.’s public spaces.”
The D.C. Scottish Rite also said in 2017 the statue had become “the subject of contention and escalating controversy” and that the group would agree to its removal, per the outlet.
